NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks and NHL Mobile name and logo, NHL GameCenter and Unlimited NHL are trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams.

Eriksson Excited to be a Boston Bruin

Monday, 07.08.2013 / 4:33 PM
Caryn Switaj
- BostonBruins.com

BostonBruins.com - We don't know too much about Loui Eriksson here in Boston….yet.

We know that the 27-year-old is from Goteborg, Sweden. He's a seven-year NHL veteran who turns 28 soon, on July 17 to be exact. We know that he's a 6-foot-2, 196-pound forward with a left-shot, who can play both sides, though he prefers the right wing.

We know that in the past five seasons, Eriksson has only missed three games. Through his seven seasons as a Star, he put up 150 goals and 207 assists for 357 points with a plus-31 rating in 501 career games. He was drafted in the infamous 2003 draft (often labeled as the "best in history"), 33rd overall, 12 picks before the Black & Gold selected Patrice Bergeron.

We now know that he's appreciative of his time with Dallas - but he's also very excited to be a Boston Bruin.

"I’m really looking forward to playing in Boston. It’s a real good team and for the last couple years they’ve been one of the best teams in the league," said Eriksson, on a conference call with Boston media for the first time on Monday morning (July 8).

"So I’m real excited to go there and play. Everything happened real fast with the trade but I’m real excited and I’m really looking forward to it. It will be awesome to come here and play. I'm going to try to give it my best and try to help them win the Cup."

Coming in, Eriksson knows he will have to prove himself to his teammates and coaches. For Boston fans, he will also have to prove himself on the ice. He's excited to play the Bruins' style.

"I’ve watched some games in the playoffs. Of course, I watched many games when they played because I know they’re a good team," said the forward, who has been in the Western Conference his entire career until now.

"I know they play a tough kind of style, a good defensive kind of style so I think that will fit real well. I like to play that way. I’m just happy to be coming to a team like Boston," he added. His Swedish accent was thick, though soft-spoken, as he rattled off his excitement.

"I know it’s a really good team, they have really good players on that team and I’m really looking forward to coming here and to see them in the preseason and start to play in the season."

When Eriksson describes how the trade happened from his perspective, it was all a blur.

Eriksson found out through a call from his agent, when he was sitting with his family.

"He asked about waiving my no-trade clause and that Boston was interested in getting me," said the winger.

"Everything happened really fast there, actually. I talked to my family quick and it was kind of an easy decision for me to make that decision to go and play with Boston."

"I’ve had many good times in Dallas and I really liked it there too, but when I got the call it was Boston on the line, it was pretty persuasive for me to say yes to that because I know Boston is a good team and it’s a different chapter to go there and try to win games and try to go far in the playoffs and win the whole Cup. I think the match to go and play for Boston is really good - it will be fun."

Eriksson's potential linemates will also be a good match for him as well. He's slotted to play on the top two lines with either Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci as his centerman.

"I think that will be a good fit," he said of playing on the right side. Milan Lucic and Brad Marchand are his potential left wingers.

"I know they have really good players especially [Patrice] Bergeron and they have [David] Krejci among the centerman. They have a lot of good players to play with so I don’t think it would be any problem to play with those guys. They are going to make me better and I’m going to try and make them better too. It will be real nice to come and play with them."

"I know it’s a really good team and a good group of guys."

He'll also get to play on the Bruins with former Calgary Flame Jarome Iginla, a player he saw quite often playing in the West.

"Yeah, for sure. I was excited when I had the call that Boston wanted me. As you said, [Jarome] Iginla signed too. I played against him a lot so I know he’s a really good player to get for your team," said Erkisson, when asked by a reporter about playing with the veteran. "I know he wants to win the Cup and he’s really excited to get going. That will be really nice to play with him there, too."

And though the forward doesn't know too much about Boston - yet - he's familiar with the team through a couple of fellow countrymen.

"[Carl] Soderberg, I played with in juniors so I know him a little bit, and it will be nice to go [to Boston] and play with him there."

He also knows a Bruin you all will remember quite well, in long-time member of the spoked-B, P.J. Axelsson.

"Yeah, he texted me when he found out and he said he was really happy for me because he really liked it there," said Eriksson. He hasn't talked to P.J. yet on the phone, but he's going to give him a call and ask him all about the city.

"It’s real fun to come and play in Boston. I know they've been talking a lot of good things about Boston [so that's] real nice."

"I’m really excited to go there and see all the fans. I know they have a lot of people going to the games and it’s a really good hockey town. And I've heard a lot of good things about Boston, the whole city."

"It will be really nice to check it out before everything starts and then be ready to play there. It will be awesome."

NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks and NHL Mobile name and logo, NHL GameCenter and Unlimited NHL are trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams.